Swimming aid device



Dec- 9, 1952 F. LolsELLE SWIMMING AID DEVICE Filed Jan. 29. 1949 IN VEN TOR. F RANK L 013mm;

.ATY'H/VY Patented Dec. 9, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWIMMING AID DEVICE rFrank Loiselle, New York, N. Y. Application January 29, 1949, Serial No. 73,609

3 Claims.

This invention relates rto new and useful improvements in the construction of a swimming aid device.

Moreparticularly, the invention proposes the construction of a swimming aid characterized by na pair of like opposed members which are arranged to be engaged upon each of a swimmers forearms vto 'increase the surface area'of the forearm to produce greater power with each stroke while at thesame time leaving thewrist and fingers of the` hand free for movement as mayberequired. g I

Another object of the present invention proposescharacterizing each of the members by a plateformed of a synthetic resin material and having vsupporting straps secured thereto in such a manner, that when the member is mounted in position on the respective forearm, the majorportion'of the plate will be projected from the outer side of the forearm leaving the inner side 4of* the forearm free of any obstruction whichcould strike the side of the body during swimming andrhinder free swimming movements. l Y

1 Still another object of the'present invention proposes characterizing the supporting straps by av front loop member for extension across the back of the hand, an intermediate adjustable strap-for engaging the forearm just behind the wrist and a` rear strap for engaging the forearm justbelow the elbow Vin a manner to securely mount the plate in position on the forearm.

Y A further object of the present invention prop'oses'the provision of a stiffening member for holding the intermediate strap in a somewhat elliptical form correspondingto the cross sectional shape of the portion of theforearm to be engaged by that intermediate strap so as to retain the plate against turning on the forearm. The present invention further proposes a means for adjustably mounting the intermediate strap on vthe lplate in a manner so that theposition of the intermediate strap may be. adjusted onv the plate, longitudinally thereof, to a position in which it Will comfortably engage the forearm behind the wrist.

`It is a further object of the present invention to construct a'swimming aid which is simple and durable and which can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

Forfurther comprehension of the invention, andv of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanyingV drawing, and to the appendedv 2 claimsV in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the swimming aid constructed in accordance with the present invention shown` applied to the right forearm illustrated in dot and dash lines. y

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of Fig. 1 looking from the left side thereof. Y

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1'.

Fig. 4 is a partially enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Y

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating the swimming aid constructed in accordance with'a modification of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

The swimming aid, according to the present invention, includes a pair of like opposed members I5, only one of which is shown on the drawing, which are to be secured in position on a swimmers forearms to increase the surface area thereof to produce greater power with each stroke during swimming.v An important fea-V ture of the present invention resides in the fact that while the members I5 are strapped in position on the forearms in such fashion as to preclude any possible rotative movement of the members relative to the forearms, they leave the fingers and wrists of the arms free for complete freedom of movement.

The one of the pair of opposed members I5 shown on thedrawing, is the member which is applied to the right forearm which is indicated by the dot and dash lines I6 in Fig. 1, where the position of the member I5 on the forearm is clearly illustrated.

Each of the members |'5 is formed of a' nat plate I'I shaped from a synthetic resin material which may be clear or appropriately colored. The longitudinal edge I8 of the plate I'I which extendsvalong the inner side of the forearm I 8 is substantially straight, but formed adjacent the front end thereof with an inwardly extended niche la, see Fig. 1. The niche |82L is located so as to be aligned with the inner portion of the thumb, as shown in Fig. 1 so as not to interfere with movement of the thumb. The opposed longitudinal edge I9 of the plate I1 is extended outward and rounded so that the major portion of the'plate extends beyond the outer side of the forearm Vwhen the plate is secured 3 in position thereon. This arrangement leaves the arm free for normal swimming movements with no obstructions extending from the inner side of the forearm which could strike on the body during such swimming movements.

Straps are provided for securing the plate I1 in position on the forearm. Such straps include a front strap 20, an intermediate strap 2I and a rear strap' 2,2. The front strap 25 is formed of a length of'relatively thick'rubber and has one end secured to the top face of the plate, inward of the front end thereof, by means of bolts 23, and its other end secured to the bottom face of the plate Il, inward of the front end thereof, by means of a bolt 24. This forms a frontloop through which the fingers of the hand are freely extended with the thumb of the hand'extended along one side of the loop, as shown in Fig, l.

The intermediate strap 2i comprises "a main substantially C-shaped arm engaging portion` 25 ofmetal or the like and an outer belt portion 25. The belt portion'Z is longer than the arm Yengaging portion 25 andthe ends of the armA engaging portion are secured to the belt portion 26 by means of rivets 27. The end of the belt portion 26`has engaged thereon a conventional buckle 28 after which the endjis doubled back upon itself and inserted between the A`adjacent faces of the belt portionv 26 and thefarm engaging portion 25 and `secured in position by the same rivet 2l Whicnhv's'ecures theendof the arm engaging portionA 25 to the belt portion 26,'see Fig. 3. The other end of the belt portion 25 is formed with spaced holes' 29 selectively'engageable with the tongue of the buckle 28.

The intermediate strap 2l is secured to the fiat plate I1 by means of several rivets 30, see Fig. 3, which pass through the plate Il, the outer belt portion 25, and the arm engaging portion 25.

Means is provided for holding the intermediate strap '12| "in, ellipticall configuration, see Fig. 3, conforming to the cross sectional'shape of the portion ofthe forearm just to the reariof the wrist, which portion isto be engaged by the intermediatestrap 2 I .A The holding means is comprised of'a piece of metal 3l having an' enlarged outer endla secured to the top face of the plate I'lby spaced rivets 32. The pieceof metal 3l is formed of flexible but somewhat rigid stock and has its-free end bent to extend away from the face of the'platejl'land secured'to the arm engaging portion 25 Uand the belt portion 26 by spaced rivets 33. While the piece of metal SI should have a sufficient degree of rigidity to hold the intermediatestrap 2l in the desired elliptical form, it vshould have suicient flexibility to permit forearms of different diameters to .be engagedl in the intermediate strap 2I The rear strap 22 is also formed of 'a length of relatively thick rubber and has one end thereof passed through a metallic loop 34 and then doubled upon itself and secured to the top face of the plate Il, slightly inwards of the rear end thereof, by several bolts 35. The opposite'end of the rear kstrap is provided with a conventional spring clip 36 engageable with the loop after that end has'been passed around the forearm I6 just in front of the elbow.

Y It is believed that the manner of mounting the member I upon the forearm I6 will be clear from the foregoing description. When the swimming aid is properly mounted in position, it provides a convenient means for increasing the power of each Vswimming stroke vwhile at the same time inthe plate "I 'I'.

`bolts 4i) which pass through complementary holes formed in the enlarged portion 3|a of the metal piece 3l' and through elongated slots 4I for-med Beneath the plate Il', the bolts 45 pass through an elongated plate 42 and are engaged by nuts 43. A strip of rubber 44 is interposed'between the adjacent faces of the plate I1 and the plate 42 and frictionally bears against the bottom face of the lplate I1 to assistthe bolts 65 in securing'the metalpiec'e'al inpo'sition.

Likewise, the arm engaging portion 2 5'and the belt portion 2S are adjustably secured Vto the plate Il' by a bolt 45 whichpassesthrough"aligned apertures formed in the belt portions-25 "and v--26 and through a complementary/elongatedslot549 formed in the plate Il. Beneath'th'e plate Il, the bolt i5 has positioned thereon a washerf' which is secured in position by a nut'l'l. vPositioned on the bolt 45 between the adjacent-faces of theplate Il and the washer 46, vthere is *an apertured disc 48 of rubber, whichfrictiona'lly bears against the bottomfaceofthe plate Il'to assist bolt 45 in securing the portions 275 dhd26 in position.

When the nuts 43 and 41 are loosened, the bolts 4i? and d5 may be Vslid'- alongr the lengthff the slots il and '4Q to adesired positionv along'the length of the plate Il after which the -nutslIS and 47 may again be tightened t0 hold Vthe --intermediate strap 2l' in position.

In other respects this for-m of the invention is similar to that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4and like reference numerals identify like parts infach of the several views. Y A

While I have illustrated 'and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, itis to be understood that I do not limit myself to the preoise-constructions herein disclosedv and the right is reserved to all changesand modifications com'- ing within the scope ofthe invention'as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described'my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure yby United States Letters Patent is: y

l. Means securing the intermediateareaof a, swimming aid device which extends along the bottom of a forearm tothe forearm at a point slightly rearward of the wrist, comprising va flatplate, a C-shaped arm engaging portion being of a diameter substantially the same as the'diameter of the forearm rearward of the wrist and having an open side through which the forearm can be passed into said arm engagingportion, a belt portion engaged about sadarm engaging portion and being of a length to have its ends project beyond the ends of said arm engaging portion to be connected together across the open side of said arm engaging portion, said arm engaging portion having its ends secured'to said belt portion, means mounting one side of said arm engaging portion and said belt portion on the nat plata-and a peceof metalha'ving one end mounted on the fiat plate to one side of said arm engaging portion and belt portion, said piece of metal having its other end bent to extend away from the plate and secured to said arm engaging portion and belt portion on the side opposed to the side thereof mounted on the fiat plate, said mounting means comprising a bolt passed through said arm engaging portion and said belt portion, the at plate having an elongated slot through which said bolt passes, and a nut threaded on said bolt to be tightened against the plate for holding said arm engaging portion and said belt portion in desired shifted positions on the iiat plate within the bounds of the ends of said slot.

2. Means securing the intermediate area of a swimming aid device which extends along the bottom of a forearm to the forearm at a point slightly rearward of the wrist, comprising a iiat plate, a C-shaped arm engaging portion being of a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the forearm rearward of the wrist and having an open side through which the forearm can be passed into said arm engaging portion, a belt portion engaged about said arm engaging portion and being of a length to have its ends project beyond the ends of said arm engaging portion to be connected together across the open side of said arm engaging portion, said arm engaging portion having its ends secured to said belt portion, means mounting one side of said arm engaging portion and said belt portion on the fiat plate, and a piece of metal having one end mounted on the iiat plate to one side of said arm engaging portion and belt portion, said piece of metal having its other end bent to extend away from the plate and secured to said arm engaging portion and belt portion on the side opposed to the side thereof mounted on the flat plate, said mounting means comprising a bolt passed through said arm engaging portion and said belt portion, the flat plate having an elongated slot through which said bolt passes, and a nut threaded on said bolt to be tightened against the p1ate for holding said arm engaging portion and said belt portion in desired shifted positions on the iiat plate Within the bounds of the ends of said slot, said mounting of the said one end of said piece of metal on the iiat plate being adjustable to coincide with adjustments of said arm engaging portion and belt portion.

3. Means securing the intermediate area of a swimming aid device which extends along the bottom of a forearm to the foreman at a point slightly rearward of the Wrist, comprising a iiat plate, a C-shaped arm engaging portion being of a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the forearm rearward of the wrist and having an open side through which the forearm can be passed into said arm engaging portion, a belt portion engaged about said arm engaging portion and being of a length to have its ends project beyond the ends of said arm engaging portion to be connected together across the open side of said arm engaging portion, said arm engaging portion having its ends secured to said belt portion, means mounting one side of said arm engaging portion and said belt portion on the at plate, and a piece of metal having one end mounted on the iiat plate to one side of said arm engaging portion and belt portion, said piece of metal having its other end bent to extend away from the p1ate and secured to said arm engaging portion and belt portion on the side opposed to the side thereof mounted on the flat p1ate, said mounting means comprising a bolt passed through said arm engaging portion and said belt portion, the at plate having an elongated slot through which said bolt passes, and a nut threaded on said bolt to be tightened against the plate for holding said arm engaging portion and said belt portion in desired shifted positions on the flat p1ate Within the bounds of the ends of said slot, said mounting of the said one end of said piece of metal on the at p1ate being adjustable to coincide with adjustments of said arm engaging portion and belt portion, said adjustable mounting of the said one end of said piece of metal, comprising spaced bolts passed through the said one end of said piece of metal. the fiat plate having spaced elongated slots extended parallel to the said first elongated slot and through which said spaced bolts are passed, and nuts threaded onto said spaced bolts to be tightened against the flat plate.

FRANK LOISELLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,140,107 Brown May 18, 1915 1,821,974 Leblanc Sept. 8, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 3,622 Great Britain 1907 75,164 Switzerland June 16, 1917 

